Combination kitchen table-ironing board

ABSTRACT

A combination table and ironing board is provided with a pair of table top leaves, and a pair of U-shaped tubular legs, one vertically extending arm of each leg being fixed to one leaf, and the other arm of each leg adjustably supporting the ironing board which in turn supports the other leaf, in the table state. This leaf is removable to expose the ironing board which may be raised and supported in an elevated state.

United States Patent Grant July 8, [54] COMBINATION KITCHENTABLE-IRONING 1,040,255 10/1912 Altermatt 108/93 BOARD 1,074,778 10/1913Donges 108/93 2,514,524 7/1950 Steele 108/146 [76] Inventor: Philippe G.Grant, 1200 Alta ista 3,027,209 3/1962 Nielsen .3 108/146 Dr., Ottawa,Ontario, Canada Filed? 1974 Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier [2]] Appl-Nu; 454,529 Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Aug. 7, 1973 Canada 178159 [57] ABSTRACT I Acombination table and ironing board is provided [52] US. Cl. 108/63;108/93, 108/96; with a pail. of table top haves and a pail. of ushaped 2108/ tubular legs, one vertically extending arm of each leg [51] ll'il.Cl. A473 being fixed to one leaf, and the other arm of each g [58] heldof Search 9 adjustably supporting the ironing board which in turn 108/99297/172 159 supports the other leaf, in the table state. This leaf isremovable to expose the ironing board which may be [56] References cuedraised and supported in an eievated state.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1907 Cleveland 108/146 2 Claims, 3 DrawingFigures COMBINATION KITCHEN TABLE-IRONING BOARD BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a convertible table and,particularly, to a table which is convertible to an ironing board.

Although ironing boards are a necessity in present day homes, they havea well known drawback, this is, they are awkward, cumbersome and occupya lot of space. This is particularly true when the ironing board isstored, usually in a closet, since the board must lean against a wallthereby occupying much of the floor space. Furthermore, even when inuse, ironing boards occupy much space. A second drawback occurs when itis necessary to lug the ironing board from the closet to the ironingroom.

SUMMARY The present invention is aimed at overcoming this commonobjectionable feature of ironing boards. This is accomplished bycombining the ironing board with a kitchen table to form one unit. Theunit is formed with a table top having a pair of hingedly connectedleaves supported by a pair of U-shaped tubular legs extendingtransversely of the unit. One leaf is fixed to one vertically extendingarm of each leg. and the other leaf, in the table state, is adjusted torest and lock on the ironing board by means of bullet latches. Theironing board has two extensions adapted to telescopingly slide or fitinto the other vertically extending arms of each leg. A lockingmechanism is provided to adjustably support the ironing board in anelevated position.

Normally the unit is used as a table in the state just described. Whenthe ironing board is required, the movable leaf is pivoted on the hingeto expose the ironing board. The ironing board is, then, raised andlocked in the desired position. In this manner the problem of spaceconsumption is eliminated, and, the task of lugging the ironing boardfrom one place to another is, also, eliminated. Furthermore, thematerial will hang freely all along the inner side of the ironing board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further advantages and details of theinvention will become apparent from the description of a particularembodiment which follows where reference is made to tlie attacheddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination tableironing boardshowing the ironing board in an elevated ironing position;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view partially in section showing the ironing board supportand vertical adjustment mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With referennce to FIG. 1,reference numeral generally designates the combination table-ironingboard arrangement. The arrangement includes an ironing board unit 11 anda table unit 12. FIG. 1 shows the combination 10 in a position suitablefor ironing, where the ironing board is supported in an elevatedposition by a support apparatus 15. FIG. 2 illustrates the same positionin solid lines, and, in dotted and dashed lines,

illustrates the ironing board storage position, where the combination isused as a table.

Table 12 is formed with two table top leaves 17 and 18 joined togetherby a hinge l9. Hinge 19 allows leaf 17 to be rotated relative to leaf 18about the horizontal axis of the hinge. Both leaves, 17 and 18, areformed with skirt portions 20 which serve to hide the ironing board fromview, as illustrated best in FIG. 2, when the arrangement serves as atable.

The combination I0 is provided with a pair of U- shaped tubular legs 25,each having vertical arms 26 and 27. The upper end of each arm 27 isformed integrally with a lateral brace 28 to which leaf 18 is firmlyfixed by means of screws or the like.

For longitudinal stability, both arms 26 and 27 of legs 25 are providedwith horizontal tubular stabilizing rods 30 and 31. Rods 30 and 31extend longitudinally of the table and are fixed to the upper ends ofarms 26 and 27 by any suitable means, but preferably by soldering, asshown in FIG. 3. The upper ends of rods 26 are formed with an opening orhole 29 around which rod 30 is soldered.

As previously mentioned, the ironing board unit 11 may be elevated fromits stored position, illustrated in FIG. 2, to a positon suitable forironing and supported there. To accomplish this end, the ironing boardunit is fixed to lateral braces 32, by screws or the like, and formedintegrally, with the braces 32, are extensions 33 which telescopinglyslide inside hollow legs 26, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Extensions 33 areformed with a plurality of equally spaced apertures 34 the purpose ofwhich will become clear in the discussion which follows.

A slot 37 is formed centrally in hollow stabilizing rod 30. A pair ofabutment rods 38 are slidably contained within rod 30 and are biasedapart by a helical spring 39. Rods 38 are formed with a shoulder 40,spaced from their inner ends 41, against which spring 39 bears.Shoulders 40 each include a lug 43 which extends outwardly through slot37, as shown. Ends 42 of rods 38 are adapted to extend through hole 29,and an aligned one of the previously mentioned apertures 34 and, indoing so, are capable of supporting the ironing board unit 11. Theoutward travel of rods 38 is limited by engagement between lugs 43 andsurfaces 45 of slot 37.

Leaf 17 is supported in its table state by two spring biased projections47, provided in the outer edge of ironing board 11, which engage matingholes 48 formed in skirt 20. Alternatively, the leaf may be allowed tosimply rest on top of the ironing board 11.

The arrangement is normally used as a table and, accordingly, leaf 17 isin the position shown in dotted and dashed lines in FIG. 2, and lockedin this position by projections 47' engaging holes 48. To use thearrangement as an ironing board, projections 47 are disengaged fromholes 48, and leaf 17 is pivoted on hinge 19 to a position where itrests directly on leaf 18. The ironing board is, then, grasped and movedupwardly until ends 42 of rods 38 are forced, under the action of spring39, to engage a suitable one of the apertures 34 in each extension 33.To lower and store the ironing board, lugs 43 are forced together,thereby compressing spring 39 and retracting rods 38 into rod 30.Disengagement of rods 38 from apertures 34 will allow the extensions 33to slide, telescopingly, further into arms 26 of legs 25, under theweight of the ironing board unit 11.

It is believed that, in light of the foregoing description andaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the combinationtable-ironing board will be quite apparent. It is to be understood thatthe foregoing is, merely, a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention and that many changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination kitchen table-ironing board comprising,

a pair of table top leaves,

two U-shaped tubular supporting members each having a ground-contactingcross bar with a pair of upwardly extending legs,

one of said leaves being fixedly supported between a corresponding legof each supporting member,

an ironing board connected to a pair of tubular ex tensions, eachextension being telescopically received in a corresponding one of theremaining legs of the supporting members whereby the ironing board isvertically movable between a first position below the level of said oneof said leaves and a second, elevated position, a pair of movableabutments positioned to extend through holes formed in the extensionreceiving 5 legs,

the extensions being formed with a plurality of apertures thereinwhereby an abutment extends through a hole into an aperture therebysecuring the extensions relative to the legs, the other of said leavesbeing hingedly connected to said fixedly supported leaf to cover and besupported by the ironing board in its first position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extension receiving legs areconnected together by a tubular stabilizing rod,

said abutments are in the form of a pair of rods telescopically movablein the stabilizing rod and biased apart by a spring,

said abutment rods each further including a lug extending outwardlythrough a slot formed in said stabilizing rod.

1. A combination kitchen table-ironing board comprising, a pair of tabletop leaves, two U-shaped tubular supporting members each having agroundcontacTing cross bar with a pair of upwardly extending legs, oneof said leaves being fixedly supported between a corresponding leg ofeach supporting member, an ironing board connected to a pair of tubularextensions, each extension being telescopically received in acorresponding one of the remaining legs of the supporting memberswhereby the ironing board is vertically movable between a first positionbelow the level of said one of said leaves and a second, elevatedposition, a pair of movable abutments positioned to extend through holesformed in the extension receiving legs, the extensions being formed witha plurality of apertures therein whereby an abutment extends through ahole into an aperture thereby securing the extensions relative to thelegs, the other of said leaves being hingedly connected to said fixedlysupported leaf to cover and be supported by the ironing board in itsfirst position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extensionreceiving legs are connected together by a tubular stabilizing rod, saidabutments are in the form of a pair of rods telescopically movable inthe stabilizing rod and biased apart by a spring, said abutment rodseach further including a lug extending outwardly through a slot formedin said stabilizing rod.